Shuttle for looms.



S. M. FORD. SHUTTLE'FOR LOONIS. APPLICATION FILED APII. I. 191e Patented July 16, 1918.

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n APPLICT'N FILED APR; h i9l6 1,272,650.

WLYLeMe/y: gli@ STUART lVI. FORD, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE SALTS TEXTILE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

SHUTTLE FOR LOOIVIS.

Application led April 1, 1916.

To all whom 15 may concern Be it known that I, STUART M. FonD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shuttles for Looms, of which the following is a specific-ation.

My invention relates to shuttles for looms and more particularly to one embodying means wherein, upon the substantial exhaustion of the weft, a circuit will be closed when the shuttle reaches its box. Said circuit may include means for setting in operation f a knock-ofil mechanism or a weft replenishing mechanism, of any approved type, or a suitable indicating mechanism, as may be desired. The invention will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the shut` tle box and shuttle; Fig. 2 a side elevation of the shuttle box, partly broken away to show the shuttle therein; Fig. 8 a horizontal section through one end of the shuttle and shuttle box; Fig. at a vertical longitudinal section through a portion of the shuttle with the end of the spike in elevation; Fig. 5 a sectional view of the bobbin to illustrate t-he method of preliminary winding of the yarn; Fig. G a detail of the feeler; Fig. 7

a side view of one of the contact pieces Y shown in Fig. 3; and Figs. 8, 9 and 10 detail views of `modifications of the contact piece in the side of the shuttle box. Similar reference numerals indicate similar parts inthe several views.

Referring to the drawings the numeral l designates the side of the shuttle box, which as shown, will be at the left-hand side of the loom. The box is usually made of fiber, an insulating material, and has an inner lining 2 of conducting material. In openings at the side of the box are two convtact pieces 3 and 4. rFliese are pivoted on pins 5 and are normally projected through their openings into the box by springs G secured thereto and to the binding posts 7 and 7. The latter are included in a circuit 8 (see Fig. 2) which circuit may include means for setting in operation a stopping mechanisi'n, or a weft replenishing mechanism. In order to close this circuitupon the substantial exhaustion of the filling or weft, the shuttle, spike and weft holder are constructed and arranged as follows.

The shuttle 9 may be of the usual form Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1918.

Serial No. 88,203.

open at top and bottom, and comprises a spike 10 pivoted on a pin 11 set into the shuttle. The spike is held in its closed or open position by a spring 12 which bears against the square head of the spike. The latter carries a yielding contact member secured to its side. In the form shown this consists of a bowed spring 13 which may be passed through an opening 14 in the spike, and the ends secured thereto, so that the sides of the spring will project suiiiciently to give a good frictional contact with the barrel of the weft-holder 15 which is placed over the spike.

By weft-holder77 I mean any device to hold filling or weft adapted to go into a shuttle, and commonly called a bobbin, cop, butt-cop, &c. In the drawings I have shown a bobbinwith a metal barrel over one end of which is fitted a butt 16 of wood. The butt is formed with the usual groove 17 adapted to be engaged by the clips 18 (see Fig. 3) to hold the bobbin in place. It is also formed with a circumferential groove 19 to receive the initial winding of the weft Q0.

Below the bobbin butt, and at the rear of the groove 19, when the bobbin is placed upon Athe spike, is a pin 2l set into the bottom of the shuttle and which serves as a pivot for a feeler 22. In the form shown this feeler is of general U-shape made of wire and has one or more turns around its pivot pin, and is extended forwardly over the weft so that its tapered end is adapted, when the weft is substantially exhausted, to bear against the metal barrel, or metal sec tion of the barrel, of the bobbin. The base of the feeler, as shown in Fig. 6, is substantially as wide as the opening in the bottom of the shuttle, and the body thereof is gradually narrowed to a substantial poi nt, as indicated. This form of feeler prevents entangling of the yarn as the latter is being drawn off the holder. The feeler has a rearward extension 23 against which bears the end of a flat spring 24 set into the bottom of the shuttle, said spring tending to press the forward end of the feeler toward the bobbin. @ne end of the feeler is extended laterallyat 25 (see Fig. 6) and this extension bears against the shuttle bottom and prevents the feeler moving too far into the path of the bobbin when the latter is placed on the spike.

Secured to the sides of the shuttle are two plates 26 and 27, so positioned that when the `oted contact piece 3, to binding post shuttle is in the box they will be in engagement with the contact pieces 4 and 3 re spectively, pivoted in the side of the shuttlev box. The pivot pin 21 may be extended to engage directly with the plate 26, and the spike pivot 11 may beextended to engage directly with the plate 27. I prefer, however, to interpose between the ends of s aid pins and their respective plates coiled springs l28 and 29 in order to insure good contact. A pin 30 serves as a stop for the spike when it is lowered to its` position in the shuttle, and stops 3 and 4 limit the movements of the pieces 3 and 4.

The weft is wound on the bobbin as follows: As indicated in Fig. 5 the initial winding is laid in the groove 19 until said groove is substantially filled. It is then carried forward and a. number of turns 20 made on the bobbin, beyond the butt, and over the surface with which the feeler will contact. The weft is then brought back to the butt of the bobbin and the winding completed in the usual way. During the drawing off of the weft the iiat spring 24 presses the feeler 22 against the body thereof until finally the tapered end of the feeler bears against the turns 20, indicated in Fig. 5. W'hen that portion of the weft is drawn off the tapered end of the feeler will contact with the metal portion of the bobbin, so that when the shuttle reaches its box the circuit 8 will be closed through binding p'ost 7, pivoted contact piece 4, plate 26, spring 28, pivot pin- 21, feeler 22, bobbin l5, yielding contact member 13, spike 10, pivot pin 11, spring 29 to plate 27, thence throuoh pigir s before stated the circuit may include an electro-magnet which is adapted, when energized by the closing of the circuit, to actuate or set into operation any well-known type of stopping mechanism or weft replenishing lnechaiiisin. The amount-of filling laid in the groove 19 in the butt of the bobbin, is sufficient to complete at least two picks of the shuttle, so that, should the feeler contact with the bobbin barrel as the shuttle leaves the box having the contact pieces 3 and 4, that and the next succeeding pick will have sufiicient weft to prevent an imperfection in the fabric.

Instead of the pivoted contact pieces 3 and 4, as illustrated in Fig. 2, I may use any of the forms shown in Figs. 8, 9 and l0. In Fig. 8 the contact 31 may be directly secured to the binding post and be made of Spring metal adapted to move in a cut-out section of the side of the box.

In Fig. 9 another form 32 is shown having a bowed section which normally projects through an opening in theV side of the box into the path of the shuttle.

In Fig. 10 still another form is shown comprising a bowed piece 33 adapted to be moved against springs 34 mounted upon studs secured to the side of the shuttle box. When the shuttle is boxed the piece 33 will be moved so as to compress the springs 34,

thus insuring good contact with the metal plates 26 and 27 on the side of the shuttle.

By exhaustion or substantial exliaustion of the weft, I mean such degree of exhaustion thereof as will prevent imperfections in the fabric woven.

My invention is not restricted to all of he specific details ofv construction described herein. As for example, instead of the bobbin barrel being of metal, it may be made of wood with a metal section so as to insure a conducting surface between the feeler and the yielding member on the spike.

`What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is l. A shuttle comprising a spike, a weft holder supported on said spike and having a groove in the butt thereofto receive the initial winding, a spring-pressed feeler carried by the shuttle and pivoted beyond the initial winding and extending forwardly over the initial winding to contact with said holder upon the substantial exhaustion of the weft, and means on the shuttle and shuttle box to close a circuit through said holder and spike when such contact occurs.

2. A shuttle comprising a weft-holder, a spike over which said holder is placed, a feeler carried by the shuttle andV adapted to bear against the weft and to contact with said holder upon the substantial exhaustion of the weft, plates secured to one side of the shuttle, and arranged longitudinally thereof and movable contact pieces projecting through openings in the side of the shuttle box and adapted to be engagedby said plates when the shuttle is boxed. A

3. A shuttle comprising a spike, a weft holder supported on said spike, a springpresscd feeler carried by the shuttle adapted to bear against the weft and to contact with the holder upon the substantial exhaustion of the weft, said feeler being pivoted beyond the initial winding and gradually tapering to its outer end, and extending forwardly over the initial winding, and means on the shuttle and shuttle box to close the circuit through said holder and spike when such contact occurs.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Y STUART M. FORD.

Vitnesses:

M.- E. MoNiNoH, CHARLES S. JoNiis.V

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C.

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